South direction.

The Romanian offensive was planed for the night of 2/3 July. The main blow was to be delivered by the experienced 11th German Army, which had under its command the Romanian Cavalry Corps (1st Armored Division, 5th and 6th Cavalry Brigade, 6th Infantry Division - the most motorized Romanian units available). They were going to advance toward Moghilev together with the German 11th Corps. The German 30th and 54th Corps, which included the 5th, 8th, 13th and 14th Romanian Infantry Division were going to take Balti and Dubosari. The 4th Army was going to attack with the 5th Corps (Guard Division, Frontier-guard Division and 21st Infantry Division) towards Tighina and Falciu and with the 3rd Corps (35th Reserve Division, 11th and 15th Infantry Division) towards Chisinau. The 11th Corps (1st and 2nd Fortification Brigade) remained on defensive positions. The independent 2nd Corps (9th and 10th Infantry Division) was going to force the crossing of the Danube and clear the seaside. Finally, the 3rd Army (8th Cavalry Brigade, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Mountain Brigade, 7th Infantry Division) had the mission to liberate Northern Bucovina.

11th German Army and the Romanian forces having finished preparation for offensive by July 1, vanguard parts forced the Prut river on Korpachy site having the main grouping (up to ten field divisions, four motorize divisions, two tank divisions) on Yassy site. July 2, the Romanians forced the Prut river in Stefaneshty direction and by one field divisions also has developed offensive on Patrusheny. From Skuleny area two German field divisions, were forwarded through the Prut river and also has developed offensive in the northeast direction. The Soviet armies carrying out the earlier plan, according to conditions at the front, right wing of 18th Army, covering rear-guard a Zastsvka boundary to the southwest of Chernovitsy on the river Prut, withdrawed on defense boundary Hotin, Lipkany.

189th Rifle Division, defended on a boundary Dunayevtsy. The formations of 169th Rifle Division have occupied and prepared for a persistent defense an interval between Kamenets-Podolsk and Mogilyov - Podolsk-Yampolsk fortification district. 130th Rifle Division have occupied of Mogilyov - Podolsk- Yampolsk fortification district. Simultaneously with a withdrawal of the left flank of 12th Army the right flank of 18th Army (96th Mountain-rifle Division) to outcome of July 2 have occupied a boundary Berhomet, Storozhinets. The withdrawal of  96th Motorized Division covered by 60th Motorized Division. 39th Tank Division was in Chahor area in readiness to support 60th division. The opponent, having forced the Prut river, to outcome of July 3 has left on a boundar, Zaykany, Chuchuly, Bushila. At the front line Kosteshty, Kuban, Chuchuly acted 8-th Romanian field division and in Skuleny directions -198th German Infantry Division. July 4 at 16 o'clock 2nd Soviet Mechanized Corps put the main impact on the right flank in Nikoreny, Mosheny directions, from a boundary Bratusheny with the purpose of destruction the broken opponent. 16th Soviet Mechanized Corps in complete formations by morning of July 4 concentrated in area Balin, Zaseltsy, Dunaevtsyas mobile group of army behind the main defense line for actions against the breaking opponent. 9th Soviet Army has a task destroy the forwarded opponent in a direction Stephanishty and Skuleny.  A reserve of front - 116th Rifle Division to outcome of July 6, concentrated in Rybninsk fortification area, where has occupied a defense according to the plan. 

When the offensive started, the 3rd Army made a rapid advance and on 5 July liberated Cernauti and by 9 July pushed out of Northern Bucovina the entire 18th Soviet Army, threatening the Soviet flank in Bassarabia

The 11th German Army started its assault on 2 July, the Romanian 1st Armored Division crossed the river Prut and advanced east. In the night of 4/5 July it fought its way through Branzeni against 2 Soviet infantry divisions (74th and 176th), supported by armored units. On 8 July it reached the Dniester (Nistru). It was reassigned to the 4th Army and on 12 July occupied Balti.

In the same time, the 4th Army had met stiff resistance from the Soviets, who counterattacked the Romanian 5th Corps with 3 infantry divisions (25th, 51st and 150th). The Romanian Guard Division and 21st Infantry Division suffered heavy casualties (2,743 and 6,222). The 3rd Corps forced the Prut north of the 5th Corps and annihilated the resistance of the Soviet 95th Infantry Division, 5th and 9th Cavalry Division. On 8 July, there was another Soviet counterattack, this time against the 35th Reserve Division, but it was repulsed and the 3rd Corps continued its slow advance through the Cornesti Massive, under constant Soviet attack. On 10 July, gen. Nicolae Ciuperca, the commander of the 4th Army decided to attack the Soviets from north.

As a result of fortnight fights by July 7 the German by forces of six field divisions and two tank divisions forced the Prut river at the Lopatniky and to press Soviet formations of 48th and 35th Rifle Corps on a boundary Mihayleny, Alunish,Bumbota, Chory. 2nd Mechanized Corps, covering a withdrawal of 48th Rifle Corps, July 8 began a withdrawal in area Zgura, Shurely,Ketrosu. 2nd Cavalry Corps, covering a withdrawal of 35th Rifle Corps, to outcome of July 9 has departed in area Recha, Redeny. The opponent tried to force the Dnestre river  in area of the railway bridge Mogilev-Podolsk but was routed by formations of 130th Rifle Division. Forces of  95th and 150th Rifle Divisions move to a defense line behind the Dnestre river on a site Goyany, Tiraspole, having 95th Rifle Division at the front Goyany, Tashlyk and 150th Rifle Division at the front Tashlyk, Tiraspole. From area of Carpathians the Romanians advanced on Chernovtsy, and one Hungarian formations has grasped Kolomya city and established communication with south flank of 17th German Army.

On 15 July the 5th Corps broke out of the bridgehead at Tiganca and advanced towards Chisinau. The fatal blow was delivered by the German 54th Corps (50th, 72nd and 5th German Infantry Division and 1st Romanian Armored Division). On 14 July Calarasi was liberated and on 16 July Chisinau. The 1st Armored Division followed the 95th Soviet Infantry Division in Tighina and occupied the city on 19 July. By 26 July the Red Army had been expelled from Romanian soil. The "Antonescu Army Group" was dismantled as agreed.

The Romanian troops suffered heavy losses: 22,765 soldiers (4,271 dead, 12,326 wounded, 6,168 missing) and 58 airplanes. The Soviets lost important numbers of men and materials: 150,000 prisoners (of which 80,000 were taken by the Romanian Army), 2,000 vehicles, 2,000 airplanes (196 shot down by the Romanian Royal Aeronautics and 59 by the flak). They also lost 4 river gunships and 1 submarine (on 9 July).

The removal of 9th Primorsk Army on the left bank of Dniepr was completed on July 24. To this time Germans has encircled from the west, north and east the Soviet 6th and 12th Armies actually which have adjoined the right flank of Southern Front. July 25 under the solution of the Soviet Hugh Command they (armies) were subordinate to the Southern Front.

Tiraspol'-Melitopol' defensive operation. July 27 - September 28.

Odessa defense August 5- October 16 (map only)

October 5, 1st Panzer Division SS has left to the Azov sea in Berdyansk. There was encirclement near Chernigovka. In a result of this battle the Soviet 18th Army was destroyed.

Dnepropetrovsk defense August 26 - September 29 (map only)

Crimea defense.             soon

Taganrog was fall on October 12. On October 28, Germans came to the Mius river- the last barrier before Rostov. 

Battle of Rostov    

November 29, Rostov-Don was released and German 1st Panzer Army was broken. 

[ on main page ]